Amazfit Balance : Full Scientific Review (Best Amazfit Yet!)

Summary

The Amazfit Balance watch, featuring a new BioTracker 5.0 PPG sensor, shows improved heart rate tracking compared to previous Amazfit models. Reviewer Rob, a postdoctoral scientist, tests its performance during various exercises and finds it reliable for indoor activities but less so for outdoor cycling and weightlifting. Sleep tracking is mediocre, and GPS performance is decent. The watch offers good battery life and is a step up for Amazfit, but there's room for improvement.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Amazfit Balance watch features a new BioTracker 5.0 PPG sensor, which improves heart rate measurement reliability compared to previous Amazfit models.
• 🏃‍♂️ The heart rate tracking during indoor cycling shows good agreement with the Polar H10 ECG chest strap, with a correlation value of 0.95.
• 🏃‍♀️ For outdoor running, the Amazfit Balance maintains a similar level of accuracy in heart rate tracking as seen with indoor cycling.
• 🚴‍♂️ During outdoor cycling, the watch struggles more with heart rate tracking due to increased arm movement and tension, resulting in a lower correlation value of 0.65.
• 💤 Sleep stage tracking on the Amazfit Balance is not very accurate, with significant discrepancies when compared to zMAX EEG headband data.
• 📍 The GPS tracking of the Amazfit Balance is decent and better than expected, although not perfect, with some deviation from the route.
• 📊 The watch's performance in heart rate tracking during weightlifting is mediocre, often failing to capture heart rate peaks accurately.
• 🌟 The Amazfit Balance represents a significant improvement over previous Amazfit devices in terms of heart rate tracking.
• 🔋 The watch offers good battery life, lasting about two weeks on a single charge.
• 💬 The reviewer finds the Amazfit Balance design bulky compared to other Amazfit watches, affecting its aesthetic appeal.

Q & A

What is the main feature of the Amazfit Balance watch discussed in the script?

The Amazfit Balance watch features a new BioTracker 5.0 PPG sensor, which improves its heart rate tracking capabilities, making it the first Amazfit device tested that measures heart rate somewhat reliably.

How does the Amazfit Balance perform in heart rate tracking during indoor cycling?

The Amazfit Balance shows a good agreement with the Polar H10 ECG chest strap during indoor cycling, with a correlation of 0.95, indicating that it can track heart rate reliably with only minor deviations.

What is the correlation value between the Amazfit Balance and the Polar H10 during indoor cycling?

The correlation value between the Amazfit Balance and the Polar H10 during indoor cycling is 0.95, which is considered really good.

How does the Amazfit Balance compare to other watches in terms of heart rate tracking during running?

The Amazfit Balance has a similar performance to other devices during running, with a correlation of 0.95, indicating that it can track heart rate accurately even during outdoor activities.

What challenges does the Amazfit Balance face during outdoor cycling?

During outdoor cycling, the Amazfit Balance struggles with increased arm tension and movement, resulting in a lower correlation of 0.65 and missing several heart rate peaks.

How does the Amazfit Balance perform in heart rate tracking during weightlifting?

The Amazfit Balance performs only moderately well during weightlifting, with a correlation of 0.74, often detecting lower heart rates and missing many peaks.

What is the reviewer's overall rating for the Amazfit Balance's heart rate tracking performance?

The reviewer gives the Amazfit Balance a rating of three to maybe three and a half out of five stars for heart rate tracking performance.

How accurate is the Amazfit Balance in sleep stage tracking?

The Amazfit Balance's sleep stage tracking is not very accurate, with only about 40% of deep sleep correctly identified and a significant amount of light sleep confused with REM sleep.

What is the reviewer's rating for the Amazfit Balance's sleep stage tracking?

The reviewer rates the Amazfit Balance's sleep stage tracking at two out of five stars, indicating it's not reliable for detailed sleep analysis.

How does the Amazfit Balance perform in GPS tracking?

The Amazfit Balance's GPS tracking performance is decent, with signals being relatively consistent and close together, although not perfect.

What is the reviewer's overall rating for the Amazfit Balance's GPS tracking performance?

The reviewer gives the Amazfit Balance's GPS tracking performance a rating of about three to three and a half out of five stars.

What does the reviewer think about the design of the Amazfit Balance?

The reviewer finds the Amazfit Balance to be chunky and not as good-looking compared to other Amazfit watches, which are generally known for their nice design and screens.